This would be another Europe

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Editor : Fondation Robert Schuman

L'Union européenne a brûlé ses vaisseaux : elle a décidé que le big bang de l'élargissement à dix pays nouveaux aurait lieu le 1er mai 2004, sans s'être assurée que la maison commune serait prête à temps pour les accueillir. La Convention présidée par Valéry Giscard d'Estaing a dix-huit mois pour en dessiner l'architecture.

Au départ se sont affrontés les tenants habituels de l'Europe confédérale et de l'Europe communautaire.Mais l'Union dont nous avons besoin en ce début du XXIe siècle sera très différente de la petite Europe des "pères fondateurs" : Ce sera une autre Europe. Elle devra prendre en compte la révolution du nombre - les règles du Marché Commun des Six ne peuvent décidément plus s'appliquer à l'Europe politique des Trente - et surtout la révolution du peuple: les citoyens seront appelés à ratifier cette première Constitution de l'Europe. Ce sont eux qui auront le dernier mot. Et qui voudront le conserver, en élisant eux-mêmes "Monsieur" ou "Madame Europe".

Membre de la Convention européenne, Alain Lamassoure, ancien ministre, député européen, livre ici les cailloux blancs dont il essaie de jalonner sa route vers ce continent encore inconnu.

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The 27 European Space Ministers met in Kourou (French Guyana) on the ESA launch site, on 21st and 22nd July last. They spoke of the role played by... Industry
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According to figures published by Eurostat on 23rd July in May 2008 compared with April 2008, the euro area industrial new orders index fell by 3.5%.... French Presidency
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The Centre for European Reform has published a paper entitled "The CER Guide to the French Presidency." Whilst focussing on some of the French... Bulgaria/Romania
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The European Commission's interim reports on the reform of the judicial systems and the fight against corruption and organised crime in Bulgaria and... Negotiations/Reunification
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Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders met on 25th July in Nicosia to decide whether conditions were favourable to start negotiations to reunify the... Fraud/Finances
Commission
On 22nd July the European Commission published its annual report with regard to the protection of the Communities' financial interests and the fight... Reforms
Belgium
During the parliamentary session before the summer holidays Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme promised on 23rd July that the State would be... Culture
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The 27 Culture and Communication Ministers, who met in Versailles on 21st and 22nd July spoke of the four initiatives developed by the French... Nicolas Sarkozy
Ireland
On 21st July French President Nicolas Sarkozy travelled to Ireland where he met Prime Minister, Brian Cowen. This was the French President's first... Regional Policy
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The Belin publishing house has released a book by Jean-François Drevet on "L'Histoire de la politique régionale de l'Union européenne" ("The History... Justice/Internal Affairs
Council
On 24th July the 27 Home and Justice Ministers looked into the draft European pact on immigration and asylum that plans for the establishment of a... Treaty/Senate
Italy
On 23rd July the Italian Senators approved unanimously (286 votes) the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty which still has to be approved by MPs at the... Festival/Bregenz
Culture
Between 23rd July and 23rd August the Bregenz Festival is offering a series of concerts, recitals and operas on a floating stage on Lake Constance.... Employment
Eurostat
According to figures published by Eurostat on 22nd July in 2007, 218.5 million resident persons in the EU aged 15 years or more had a job or a... Economy
Spain
The Spanish government revealed significantly poor figures in terms of its ecnonomic forecast on 24th July with low growth in 2008 and 2009 and a... Dialogue
Belgium
On 24th July the three mediators, François-Xavier de Donnéa, Raymont Langendries and Karl-Heinz Lambertz, appointed by the King met with the... Report
IMF
The International Monetary Fund has published a report on the perspectives of the world's economy. This article entitled "IMF Gloomy on Growth, Sees... Festival/Salzburg
Culture
Running under the motto "Because love is as strong as death", a quotation from the Song of Solomon, the Festival of Salzburg started on 26th July and... Treaty ratified
Italia
Italian deputies have voted at the unanimity on july, 31th the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, just one week after the positive vote from the... Trade
Eurostat
According to the latest figures published by Eurostat on 23rd July the EU external current account with third countries recorded a deficit of 26.5... Festival/Verona
Culture
The 86th Opera Festival will be taking place until 31st August in Verona, Italy. This festival has taken place each summer in the Roman amphitheatre... Euro
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A Eurobarometer study on the "introduction of the euro in the new Member States" reveals that 53% of the citizens in the new States not in the euro... General Affairs/External Relations
Council
The 27 Foreign Ministers, who met on 22nd and 23rd July said they were pleased with the arrest of Radovan Karadzic in Serbia - he is accused of... EU Representative
Sweden
On 24th July the Swedish government appointed Christian Danielsson as Permanent Representative of Sweden with the EU. He will take office in... EU/Africa
Eurostat
According to figures published by Eurostat on 24th July between 2000 and 2007 the export of EU goods towards South Africa has increased from 11.8... Economy
Italy
The chamber of Italian deputies approved the major guidelines of the budgetary programme 2009-2011 on 24th July - planning for a major reduction in... Afghanistan
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On 24th July the EU appointed the present Ambassador of Italy in Kaboul, Ettore Sequi as the EU's special representative in Afghanistan where he will... Partnerships
Foundation
As part of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union the Robert Schuman Foundation has established four media partnerships to speak... Doha Round
WTO
From the beginning of the meeting of the 153 members of the Doha Round negotiations in Geneva on 21st July emphasis was placed on the need to find an... Bronislaw Geremek
Foundation
Bronislaw Geremek, an historical figure in the fight for democracy in Poland, a famous historian, member of the European Parliament and former... Ukraine
Germany
On 21st July German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to the Ukraine where she held talks with President Viktor Yushenko and Prime Minister Yulia... Interim Government
Belgium
Outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt succeeded in reaching agreement on 19th December to form an interim government until 23rd March next... Fight against Corruption
Romania
Following the publication of the report by the European Commission with regard to Romania's progress as part of the Co-operation and Verification... EU-South Africa
Presidency
On 25th July a first summit was held in Bordeaux between South Africa and the EU. On this occasion the French and South African Presidents, Nicolas... OLAF/Activity Report
Commission
On 22nd July the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) published its annual activity report reviewing this year's work within and exterior to the EU.... Diplomacy
Serbia
After showing its desire to join the EU Serbia decided on 24th July that its ambassadors would resume their positions once more in the Union... Immigration
Denmark
The Danish nationalist party (Danish People's Party) is threatening to withdraw its support from the government if the latter relaxes its immigration... Defence
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The latest issue of the review "Defence" has just been published by the auditors' association at the IHEDN. It includes an interview with Valérie... Arrest/Karadzic
Serbia
On 21st July Radovan Karadzic, former political leader of the Serbs of Bosnia, who had been on the run for the last ten years, was arrested in... Aviation
Commission
On 24th July the European Commission adopted the eighth update of the so-called blacklist of airlines that are banned from flying into the countries... Citizenship
Commission
As part of the programme "Europe for Citizens" organised by the European Commission, Gold Stars are awarded each year for the best projects. This... Defence
France
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France
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Barack Obama, Senator of Illinois and the Democrat Party candidate in the American Presidential Election undertook a visit of Europe between 24th and... Government Results
Germany
During a press conference which she held on 23rd July German Chancellor Angela Merkel drew up a positive panorama of the three years of government by... Tour d'Europe
Publications
The association Confrontations Europe organised a series of nine conferences in nine capitals in nine months between October 2006 to June 2007. All...

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